Wild Tobago

At depths that could kill a diver, Dr Judith Gobin explores the deep ocean off Tobago and Trinidad. She talks with Dr Anjani Ganase (Twitter: @AnjGanase) about her adventures on EV Nautilus; and pleads for further scientific exploration and knowledge of these areas before they are destroyed .  “ I’ve always loved the sea. As a little girl, I enjoyed amazing vacations at Mayaro, fascinated by the sea, its animals and fish. Swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving became passions.” Dr. Judith Gobin is a senior lecturer in Marine Biology at the Department of Life Sciences and Deputy Dean for Undergraduate Affairs in the Faculty of Science and Technology, at the University of the West Indies (UWI). Her passion for discovery in the marine environment led her through university and the experience as a summer intern at the Institute of Marine Affairs solidified her career in marine biology. She spent 15 years in marine research at the IMA. Now she has over 35 years of research exp...

In the International Year of the Reef 2018, Dr Anjani Ganase speculates how the loss of colour (through bleaching) on coral reefs might affect resident fish populations. Follow IYOR-T&T ( @IYORTT ) and AnjGanase ( @AnjGanase )  on twitter  Have a look around, and see if you can distinguish the shades and intensities of colours that surround you in different levels of light. Remind yourself how vulnerable you feel in the dark. We have evolved sensitivity to colour and intensities of light, a quality crucial for survival. In order to forage for food efficiently, primates must distinguish between red and green colouration, so that in the forests we can pick out the ripe fruits, and also identify any danger lurking among the foliage (Gerl and Morris 2008). For many animals, colour along with other cues, assisted in mating; consider the plumage display of male birds or changes that indicate the females are fertile. For modern man, not being able to colour coordinate m...

Water, the ocean, the medium for life, connects us all. Let it not divide us. Dr Anjani Ganase, marine scientist, looks into appreciating water connectivity for maintaining healthy reefs around Tobago in the International Year of the Reef 2018. (Follow her on Twitter: @AnjGanase ). First published in the Tobago Newsday, Thursday 12th April, 2018 The connectivity of the ocean facilitates processes such as exchange and transport of essential material (nutrients, oxygen and carbon dioxide), the migration of organisms and the dispersal of seeds and offspring between habitats. It allows marine turtles that hatch on our shores to hang out on reefs on other islands and to travel to other oceans. Whales, which prefer to raise their pups in warm waters, may grace us with Caribbean visits. Ocean connectivity allows coral reefs to be repopulated by fish and invertebrates from neighbouring reefs and from other habitats such as mangrove nurseries and seagrass beds. Reef views of Angel re...

This article is the first of a series that focuses on The International Year of the Reef 2018 and the T&T initiative. This week Dr Anjani Ganase, marine scientist, discusses the global impacts of climate change on coral bleaching, and the significance of actions to stem climate change 2018 is the International Year of the Reef (IYOR), a global effort initiated by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) to strengthen global awareness of the value of coral reef ecosystems. In Trinidad and Tobago, under the banner of IYOR T&T, a group of marine scientists in collaboration with other partners is launching a series of activities and programmes that showcase coral reef biodiversity, their value, the threats they face and opportunities for stewardship and protection. Currently, the effects of rising ocean temperatures compounded by pollution, plastics, sedimentation, overfishing and habitat destruction are threatening the future of coral reefs. Coral reefs are known to...